Do You Have Type 2 Diabetes and Say “No” to Insulin?

A new study found that 30 percent of people with type 2 diabetes chose not to take insulin when it was first prescribed and instead started taking it about 2 years later. Do you have type 2 diabetes and have you said “no” or “not yet” to taking insulin?If so, why?Here are some widely known reasons why some people initially avoid taking insulin:

Fear of painful injections.

Fear of relying on a medication that is more complicated than a pill.

Fear of weight gain.

Fear of low blood sugars.

Fear of the financial impact.

Fear that taking insulin means having failed and now being officially “sick”.

Wanting to first lose weight or improve lifestyle habits before relying on a serious drug.

Something most of these reasons have in common is fear. However, ultimately there is also the fear of what high blood sugars can do over time which might have something to do with many people with type 2 diabetes eventually trying insulin.

Fear is perfectly reasonable as it allows us to be cautious. However, fear without a follow-up or action doesn’t serve us well.

What to Do if You’re Rejecting Insulin

If you are hesitating taking insulin that has been prescribed to you, write down all the concerns you are having about it. Then take these with you when you speak to your health care provider. They might be able to address your worries or troubleshoot ways you can make big changes in your life that might lead to you avoid needing insulin, indefinitely.

But none of this will happen without talking to your provider and sharing your thoughts. If they determine you need insulin, it is important to take it. If you don’t want to take insulin longterm you will have to figure out what changes to begin making. You might always need insulin but may still be able to improve the way you feel and your overall health.

Be brave. This is a mountain you can’t go around without hard work, sacrifice, and discipline, but great things await you when you do.

One thing is for sure, you’re not alone. Add your thoughts about why you don’t want to take prescribed insulin in the comments.

Sysy Morales has lived with type 1 diabetes for 23 years. She also blogs at The Girls Guide to Diabetes, is a motivational speaker, and is a graduate of The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Sysy lives in Virginia with her husband and 8 year old twins.